Publishing Round-up: 28.09.17

The quarterly Journal, The Good Journal, will showcase the very best new work from writers & artists of colour including essays, short stories, poems, extracts & illustrations.

Once the costs for the journal are met, any funds raised will go towards The Good Literary Agency, a social enterprise literary agency focused exclusively on representing the under-represented from all backgrounds: BAME, disabled, working-class and LGBTQ+.

The Awards will be rewarded to individual writers or literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project.

As a Booktrust Ambassador Chris Riddell will attend a variety of events, visit cared for children who are part of the Letterbox programme, take part in library Rhyme Time sessions and provide written content and illustrations to encourage more families to read together during this time.

Riddell has said: “I want to be a bridge between creators of beautiful books and children whose lives can be changed by a love of reading. I’m looking forward to working with authors, illustrators and with BookTrust in their mission to transform lives by getting children and families reading.”

The book trade is gearing up for one the biggest releases of the year for Philip Pullman’s La Belle Sauvage with midnight openings, a “magical” event on the eve of publication and activity in several countries around the world.

Activity for the release will centre around Oxford—a key setting in the novel and also Pullman’s home city. Blackwell’s in Oxford will hold a midnight opening on Thursday 19th October (Pullman’s birthday), along with 15 Waterstones stores across the country.

La Belle Sauvage, which has sold in 33 territories, will be celebrated around the world with events in Ireland, including an early morning opening at Hodges Figgis Booksellers in Dublin; Exclusive Books and Skoobs in South Africa, and a major pre-order campaign with bespoke p.o.s. has run with Dymocks in Australia, which also has plans for Pullman parties in six states across the country. In India, radio advertising across Dehli, Mumbai and Bangalore is aimed to reach over 10 million listeners.
Meanwhile, late openings are also being planned for Waterstones Brussels, Waterstones Amsterdam and W H Smith Paris.

Glasgow-based printing company Bell and Bain Printers has taken Freight Books to court over unpaid work dating back to the beginning of the year.

According to the Times, Bell and Bain Printers joins a host of authors and suppliers who have not been paid by Freight Books following the abrupt departure of director Adrian Searle in April. Glasgow Sheriff Court heard an action brought by the printers for unpaid work by the publisher last week.